It is with profound sadness that we share that Darcy Richie, the brilliant Chief Program and Impact Officer at Generation Citizen, passed away after a long battle with cancer on April 26, 2022. 

Darcy joined GC in spring 2020, and it was immediately clear that she would have an impact on the organization. She brought with her the depth and breadth of her educational experience: first as a teacher and then in school leadership, even starting her own school and managing it for several years. Both at Teach for America and in her 13 years as a professor, she loved to train and mentor first-year teachers, guiding them through the first difficult years in the profession. After she moved into nonprofit leadership and educational consulting, she said that her work at GC combined all of the things she cared about. This dedication showed in her work every day. 

Darcy was a visionary and courageous leader at our organization who was deeply committed to GC’s work with teachers and young people. Most recently, she led a process to bring a greater focus on equity to the GC curriculum. Both teachers and students who engaged in the revised curriculum shared how it helped them commit even more wholeheartedly to the efforts to unleash young people’s power to make a change in their communities. Darcy sought to foster a strong sense of inclusion, trust and belonging across the GC team, making space and time to listen and learn together. At the heart of her work was a love of teaching and coaching, a belief in the power of young people, and a deep commitment to equity. 

You can learn more about her work in a recent interview with a GC alum, her 2021 op-ed in Chalkbeat, and this Nonprofit Mastermind podcast where she discusses how to build a strong team. 

Darcy is unforgettable for thousands of reasons, in part because of the warmth and light she gave to the world. A dear friend and mentor to so many at GC and in her communities, people turned to her when they needed comfort or encouragement. Last year, in one of her monthly Program team updates, Darcy shared Maya Angelou’s famous quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Darcy made us feel like so much good was possible. She shines brightly, and we have been lucky to share in her light. 

While we all continue to mourn this tremendous loss, we are also committed to honoring her legacy of courage and commitment to justice. We plan to announce a long-term initiative in her name, and we will be honored to share more on this work in the months ahead. Thank you for your support.